As the first phase of voting is currently underway, the usual suspects are at play to insinuate that the BJP is violating the model code of conduct. A journalist associated with Times Now shared pictures wherein a car filled with ‘Namo food’ package was parked and the food packages were being distributed by a policeman to other policemen standing there.
Ok! So, NaMo food packets at play in Noida now! pic.twitter.com/HnI7oUKblT
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) April 11, 2019
In a tweet he stated ‘NaMo’ (instead of Namo) food packets are at play in Noida, implying that the food was ‘branded’ on the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is often referred to as NaMo.
He claimed that he himself had not clicked the picture, but his friend had clicked and sent it to him.
A friend has sent the pics…
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) April 11, 2019
A video of a cab carrying police officers and the above food packets also went viral on social media.
After Namo Chai
NAMO Cap
NAMO Merchandise
Namo TV
It is time for Namo food packete
That too in polling team’s car pic.twitter.com/f6peG72xER— Atul (@secular_arrow) April 11, 2019
Soon Congress leaders started questioning the Uttar Pradesh Police on why are these food packets being distributed.
But why is Noida Police distributing these packets? Cc @Uppolice , any answers? https://t.co/G2ZjTqGzcM
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 11, 2019
Is this @NarendraModi Zomato food service delivery started by @UPPolice? https://t.co/8RMO4Db2uA
— Vinayak Dalmia (@VinayakDalmia) April 11, 2019
How much money does the BJP have? ?@SpokespersonECI @ECISVEEP #MyVoteForCongress https://t.co/lWSp3Ao4w4
— Salman Anees Soz (@SalmanSoz) April 11, 2019
Aam Aadmi Party leaders also jumped in at the opportunity to cast aspersions and spread panic.
BJP खुलेआम पोलिंग बूथ के बाहर अपना चुनाव प्रचार कर रही हैं NaMo के पैकेट बांटे जा रहे हैं और डिस्ट्रिक्ट मजिस्ट्रेट यह बोल रहा है कि किसी प्रकार की कोई इंक्वायरी या कोई एक्शन लेने की जरूरत नहीं है तो इसका क्या मतलब समझा जाए.?
चुनाव आयोग देश में चुनाव करवा रहा है या मजाक.?? https://t.co/qkgoLgmXEO
— Amit Mishra (@Amitjanhit) April 11, 2019
Other ‘journalists’ too joined in.
And cops distributing them? Wah re wah, UP. https://t.co/6EwZib9ppk
— Durga (@the_bongrel) April 11, 2019
“Fact-checkers” associated with international news agencies like AFP also decided to chime in to spread the information without verifying (d-uh!)
Uttar Pradesh police officials distributing NaMo food packets in Noida where voting is being held today. #LoksabhaElections2019 https://t.co/TipZmfEPLC
— Uzair Hasan Rizvi (@RizviUzair) April 11, 2019
Amusingly, pro-AAP blog Janta Ka Reporter even added imaginary portion while reporting the incident and claimed that the cops ‘left’ after ‘spotting journalists’.
Not only is the report wrongly reporting ‘Namo foods’ as ‘NaMo food’, thereby insinuating it as food branded as being endorsing Narendra Modi, they also lie about ‘cops leaving’ after spotting journalists. In fact, as seen in the video, the cops leave in the cab because the traffic clears itself, not because they’re trying to run away.
As it turns out, Namo Food has nothing to do with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is an actual restaurant based in Noida. In fact, Namo Foods has not one but 4 food outlets in Noida as per the food search website ‘Zomato’.
Namo Foods, Noida[/captio
Not just that, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Gautam Buddh Nagar also took to Twitter to clarify that the food packets were procured at the local level for the police officers on election duty.
Appeal to all that do not trust rumours. Pls go by facts @noidapolice @dgpup @PTI_News @adgzonemeerut @igrangemeerut @ceoup @ceouptweets @Uppolice pic.twitter.com/Pi3besBOsY
— SSP NOIDA (@sspnoida) April 11, 2019
The SSP clarified that these are politically motivated rumours and that the food was neither distributed by political party nor procured on the instruction of one from that particular restaurant.
➡️आज दिनांक 11-04-2019 को नमो फूड वाली खबर के संबंध में @sspnoida द्वारा दी गयी बाइट #NoidaPolice @Uppolice @igrangemeerut @adgzonemeerut @ceoup @dgpup pic.twitter.com/LMf9yNrwaQ
— NOIDA POLICE (@noidapolice) April 11, 2019
SSP Noida even clarified that the food was procured from the local shop for the police force deployed on election duty. He specified that the restaurant name is coincidental.
However, by that time, the usual suspects were out in full force to insinuate that the integrity of the police force may be compromised. The SSP, Noida rebuked the journalist and asked her to check her language and be better informed.
Dear @rohini_sgh you should I think check your language and be informed well. pic.twitter.com/JPCcK4XzGx
— SSP NOIDA (@sspnoida) April 11, 2019
However, by the time the official rebuttal came in, the news had already gone viral. As per reports, Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer, L Venkateshwarlu has sought a report from Noida DM over the Namo Foods packets.
